The present disclosure primarily relates to a system that produces and stores thermal energy from the sun for processes such as thermal desalination or electricity generation. Generally, a solar receiver is a component of a solar thermal energy generation system whereby radiation from the sun (i.e. sunlight) is used as a heat source. The radiation and heat energy from the sun is concentrated on the solar receiver and is transferred to a heat transfer fluid (HTF) flowing through the receiver which can be stored and used to generate steam for a process or for power generation or for both (cogeneration). The receiver is usually a large unit permanently mounted on top of an elevated support tower that is strategically positioned in a field of heliostats, or mirrors, that collect rays of sunlight and reflect and concentrate those rays on to the tube panels of the receiver. An efficient, compact solar receiver for such systems which uses molten salt or a similar HTF and which is simple in design, modular, rugged in construction, and economical to manufacture, ship, and install would be desirable.
Currently wind and solar photovoltaic power generators do not have economical energy storage capability. Without energy storage, fluctuations on the grid are inevitable due to changing winds, clouds, and darkness at night. A molten salt solar plant is able to efficiently store the collected solar energy as thermal energy, which allows the process or power generation to be decoupled from the energy collection. The process or power plant can then continue to operate as needed, such as during cloud cover and at night, for some amount of time depending on the number of receiver towers and size of the thermal storage system relative to the amount of energy required by the process or power cycle.